Feed mechanism for firearms



Sept. 2, i954 c. E. BRUSH FEED MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Y Filed July 17, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l RNVENTOR CLYDE E. BRUSH 2E ATTORNEY Sept. 2, 1954 c. E. BRUSH FEED MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17 1951 INVENYOR USH av M CLYDE E.

ATTONEY Sept. 28, 1954 c. E. BRUSH 2,690,024

' FEED MECHANISM FOR FIREARMS Filed July 17, 1951 :s Shee ts-Sheet s INVENTOR CLYDE E. BRUSH BY MA /WM ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1954 S'I'T S orric 13 Claims.

This invention relates to firearms and particularly to the feed mechanism of repeating firearms, especially of the semi-automatic types, but applicable also to manually operated repeating firearms. The invention is particularly but not exclusively concerned with firearms having boxtype magazines that are positioned longitudinally with respect to the firearms, e. g., in the stocks thereof.

In box-type magazines the cartridges are held side by side in one or more rows and are advanced by a follower to the discharge end of the magazines, the cartridges being disposed with their axes transverse to the axis of the magazine, either perpendicular or inclined somewhat to said axis. One specific type of box magazine suitable for use with the feed mechanism of this invention and shown in part in the accompanying drawings, is more fully described and claimed in my copendin-g application Ser. No. 166,930, filed June 8, 1950, now Patent No. 2,655,754; however, the feed mechanism may also be fed with other box magazines.

Most firearms in current use employ magazines which contain cartridges more or less parallel to the axis of the barrel. The usual boxtype magazine projects downwardly from the breech; it either has only a limited storage capacity for cartridges or is excessively long, resulting in a weapon that is inconvenient to carry and handle. Tubular magazines also have limited storage capacities because only a relatively small number of cartridges can be placed end to end within the length of a magazine that extends only from the breech to one end of the firearm; moreover, in such magazines the points of the bullets bear against the bases of the contiguous cartridges, resulting in blunting of the points.

In my copending application Ser. No. 27,063, filed May 14, 1948, now Patent No. 2,601,735, I have disclosed a firearm provided with a feed mechanism employing a rotatable conical lifter adapted to feed cartridges from an open-mouthed box magazine located in the stock and extending longitudinally with respect to the firearm. In the embodiment therein described the lifter is rotated always in the same direction by a manually wound spring. The present invention relates to another feed mechanism employing a different lifter arrangement that is also suitable for use with such a magazine. Certain features of the instant invention, particularly the mechanism for actuating the lifter, may-also be applied to other arrangements of the magazine.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved feed mechanism having a pivoted lifter for transferring cartridges successively from a box magazine into the receiver in rear of the cartridge-chamber of a repeating firearm.

A further object is to provide a repeating firearm having a reciprocable lifter for transferring cartridges from a magazine into the receiver which lifter is driven in both directions of movement by the breech bolt. A specific ancillary object is to provide an actuating mechanism for the lifter comprising a resilient compression member connected between a pivoted lifter and a reciprocable bolt in a manner to urge the lifter into cartridge-receiving position, clear of the line of movement of the bolt, when the bolt is advanced and to urge the lifter into cartridgeloading position when the bolt is retracted.

Another object is to provide a feed mechanism wherein cartridges are received from a magazine in a plane that is parallel to and offset from an axial plane of the bore with the cartridge axes askew to the bore axis, and the cartridges are moved laterally into a pivoted lifter in said plane and thereafter swung by the lifter into the receiver.

Still a further object is to provide an improved feed mechanism having a stationary guide plate and a lifter that is positioned alongside of the guide plate and is pivoted for movement about an axis perpendicular to the face of the guide plate, the lifter having a cradle that is fully open toward the guide plate, for carrying a cartridge into the receiver of the firearm, in combination with a cartridge-feeding cam at one end of the guide plate for feeding cartridges laterally into the cradle of the lifter when the latter is in cartridge-receiving position.

Still further objects will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and showing a specific embodiment thereof by way of illustration, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on the axis of the receiver of a repeating firearm with a box magazine to which the feed mechanism of the invention is applied, parts being shown in elevation;

Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5 are transverse sectional views taken on correspondingly numbered section lines indicated in Fig. 1, the cartridges in the cam being omitted and the magazine being omitted in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view through the front of the bolt, taken on line 6 of Fig. 4;

Fig. '7 is a sectional view through the lifter and guide plate, taken on line l? in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view corresponding to Fig. 7, but showing the lifter in cartridge-receiving position;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view taken on line 99 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken on line ltll! in Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is an elevation of the right side of the lifter;

Fig. 12 is an elevation of the left side of the guide plate;

Fig. 13 is a rear elevation of the guide plate; and

Figs. 14 and 15 are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation of the drive mechanism, only the lifter, part of the breech bolt and the compression member being shown.

The particular firearm shown in the drawings for the purpose of illustrating one embodiment of the invention has a chambered receiver a barrel secured coaxially to the front thereof; and a breech bolt 22 slidable within the receiver in a line of travel coincident with the axis of the bore in the barrel. The bolt carries a transverse locking bolt 23, also known as an operating handle, that projects to the right through a longitudinal slot in the receiver (not shown); an axially movable firing 2t; and an extractor only the shank 25 of which is shown, for extracting a cartridge from the bore. A longitudinal slot 26 on the left of the bolt acco-mmodates an ejector 2'5 (Fig. 3) that is secured to the receiver slightly above the midsection thereof for ejecting an extracted cartridge to the right through an ejection port 28. The bolt has a notch 29 at the top and front thereof to receive a projection 33 forming a part of the barrel that extends rearwardly from the beech 3!. The fire arm is provided with a stock 32 which may be made of wood. The parts mentioned thus far are all well known and the details thereof will not be described herein except insofar as they are related to or modified for coaction with the feed mechanism. Thus, it will be understood that the breech bolt is provided with an operating spring for driving the bolt forwardly (to the left) to carry a live cartridge into the barrel bore and bring the front face 33 of the bolt to the breech; with a mainspring, hammer, rigger and sear mechanism for actuating the firing pin 26; and that the bolt is driven rearwardly to the retracted position shown by the force of the gases in the barrel when a cartridge is fired. The firearm shown may be of the type in which the breech bolt does not tarry in the rearward position unless locked by the locking pin 23, but returns to the advanced position to reload the weapon immediately after completing a rearward excursion.

Th main parts of the feed mechanism are: a

ivoted reciprocable lifter 34; a stationary guide plate 35; and a compression spring 3% guided by a rod 3?. The lifter, shown in left and right elevations in Figs. 1 and 11, respectively, and in sections in Figs. 2, 3, 7 and 8, is mounted in the vertical axial plane of the bore and is generally sector-shaped; it has a counter-bored hole 53 forming a bearing on a supporting and retaining pin 39 that extends perpendicularly to the said plane and is threadedly secured to the receiver in rear of the uide plate, as shown in Fig. 3. The receiver is cut away as shown at it to permit the lifter to swing upwardly into the receiver chamber in cartridge-loading position shown. The lifter has the front-upper margin shaped to provide a cartridge cradle 4| forming a car ride..- supporting abutment and located to be by the said vertical plane, and a projecti 42 at the left thereof, forming a cartridge-retai ing abutment that prevents the escape of eartridge toward the left. The cradle is fully open to the right. The cradle and the projecting wail 62 are joined by a curved surface having a radius of curvature that is equal to or very slightly excess of the radius of the rim at the base of the cartridge; this curved surface occupies half of .he width of the cradle, the other half being flat, shown in Figs. 2 and 8. The total width of the cradle is, therefore, substantially equal to the widest part of a cartridge, being advantagecusly made only a few thousandths of an inch in e? thereof to permit the cartridge to be carried out binding against the guide plate. The eras. preferably disposed so that a live cartric e carried therein with the base toward the p has the lower side thereof disposed radially with respect to the pin axis; to this end the fiat of the cradle is not made truly radial to s. axis but is tangent to a small cylinder coaxial with the pin and having a radius approximately e the width of the cartridge rim, as shown in l gs. 1 11. It will be understood that this specni rangement is optional and not essential to the practice of the invention.

The wall 42 preferably projects for to bring the lifter to a stop when rotate ly by engagement with a suitable part of arm, such as the barrel projection 33; however, any other stop means or abutment may be employed. The lifter is advantageously brcu .ht to stop with the point of the cartridge in rear of the bore and with the base in the line of travel of the breech bolt, as shown; however, the t of two requirements is not absolute, it being understood that while the positioning of the point in rear of the bore is advantageous to prevent deformation of the point and reduce the chances jamming, it is also possible to have the lifter rotated somewhat farther or short of the position shown, and to rely on a conical or bevel]. on. the barrel to deflect and guide the cartrid K as is done in other firearms. Further, to minimize damage to the cartridge, it is preferred to have the wall 42 project from the base of the cradle or a greater distance, as in the embodiment shown. The edge of the wall 12 is curved concavely to form a camming surface :23 for coaction with the breech bolt which has a -cal groove 54 of width sufficient to receive the all '32 cut into the front face thereof (Figs. l, 6 and 1 2) Forward movement of the bolt beyond the posi tion shown in Fig. 14 brings the bolt into engagement with the surface 33, thereby depressing the lifter and rotating it out of the path of the bolt. The groove 45 thus permits the breech bolt to ad Vance farther before engaging the lifter and may, in certain physical arrangements, be omitted.

The lifter has an apertured lug integral with a pin 46 which is press fitted into the lifter to be permanently secured thereto. The aperture in the lug is elongated parallel to the face of the lifter to receive the guide rod 3? and to permit the latter to reciprocate freely and to tilt in a plane parallel to said face. The upper end of the rod has an eye through which extends a pin 4'! that is secured to the bolt and forms a journal for the rod. The left side of the bolt is relieved to provide a fiat face 43 of generally triangular outline lying in a vertical plane eon.- taining the left face of the lifter (Figs. 1 and 5). The coiled compression spring 36 abuts the lugs 45 and the pin 57.

The bottom of the breech bolt is recessed to different depths as indicated at #9 and 50 to pass over the part of the lifter that Surrounds the pivot pin 39 and over the pin 39 itself, respectively, as shown in Figs, 1 and 5.

The guide plate 35 is f xed to the receiver immediately to the right of the lifter by means of screws 5! and has a cylindrical surface .52 conforming to the external curvature of the receiver. The face-toward the lifter is flat over a generally sector-shaped area as shown at 53 in Figs. 3 and 12. The cartridge-feedin cam 55 is, in the illustrative embodiment, made integral with the uid pl te- I i locat d at t e r ar of th flat area 3 and ma e o ind ical con av ab an axis at is su stantial y ad a with. es to the axis of the pin 39 and has the concavity thereof toward the cradle when the latter is in cartridge-receiving position. The earn is shaped as shown in Figs. 7, 8, l2 and 13, and starts at a thinedge 553; from this edge it extends through an are preferably in excess of 98, e. g,, 115 as shown, so as to urge a cartridge downwardly against the flat part of the cradle fill when the lifter is in cartridge-receiving position. The cam surface advantageously has a radius of ourvature very slightly in excess of the diameter of the rim of the cartridge, as shown, but greater radii may be used. It is evident that the axis of the cylindrical cam surface is offset to the right of the flat face 53 (and also to the right of the cradle) by virtue of the fact that the cam extends through an arc in excess of 90 to make the part E la incline back toward the cradle 4| when in the position shown in Fig. 8. While a cylindrical cam with a circular cross section is shown, it is evident that the cross section need not be circular. The axis of the cam shown (or the direction of the generatrix of the cam, in the case of a cam having a non-circular cross section) is substantially parallel to the axis of the cartridge in the cradle when the lifter is in cartridge-receiving position. It follows that all cartridges within the cartridgeereceiving pocket defined by the cam and by the right face of the lifter will be parallel to each other and askew with respect to the bore axis. The magazine 55, 130 be described, is positioned to supply cartridges one by one into this pocket with pressure ur ing them against the cam surface.

A cylindrical retaining plate 5'5 is fiXBd to the guide plate by screws 53; it extends to the left of the guide plate and circumferentially about a part of the lifter, forming an arcuate retaining wall for preventing cartridges in the cradle from being displaced axially by centrifugal force when the lifter is swung into loading position, it being noted that the radially outer end of the cradle 4! is open.

The magazine 56 is located in a longitudinal well extending through the stock 32 and is inserted and controlled from the butt end of the stock in the manner described in both of the aforesaid applications, Ser. Nos. 27,963 and 166,930. It is of the same type, but differs in minor details, as follows: It is located off-center to the right of the vertical plane through the barrel bore; it has its mouth parallel to the left side thereof and offset to the right of the center line (so as to feed a idge mm diat ly to he l ft of the edge 55 of the earn); and the pawl and ratchet mechanism is advantageously located on the left side of the magazine. The magazine may be formed of a single piece of metal, bent to provide parallel top and bottom portions 560 and 55d, a right inclined side wall 566 and two vertical, coplanar partial side walls 55a and 56b, leaving a longitudinal slot 59 between them. The Upper edge of the lower partial side wall 56a is serrated to provide saw teeth or notches with rearwardly facing vertical or slightly undercut portions, spread apart at intervals correspond ing to the distance occupied by one cartridge. At the front the fractional side walls are extending vertically to abut each other, forming a continuous wall also at the left. The right and left walls at the extreme forward ends are bent inwardly, as shown at 60a and 6th, to form a pair of lips defining a mouth just wide enough for the discharge of a single cartridge in alignment with the cam surface 5,4. To conform to the inclination of the axis of the cam surface, the bottom wall 56d extends farther forward than the top wall 560.

The magazine contains a follower 6| formed of sheet metal bent to engage the top and bottom of the magazine and having an inclined front section sloped to conform to the slope of the front end of the magazine to the longitudinal axis of the magazine in the illustrated embodiment) and, hence to the inclination of the cam surface 54. The sides of the follower are open. A follower or magazine spring t2 abuts the back plate of the magazine (not shown) at its rear end and a follower insert 53 at its front end; the latter fits slidably within the magazine and is shaped to engage the four sides thereof. The insert has its top and bottom notched at their forward portions to extend into the follower without friction. This insert forms a guide and abutment for the spring, which extends into the rear, open end thereof. The follower 6! has a part of its bottom out out and bent up to provide a tongue 6hr that forms an abutment for the follower insert and insures forward pressure at the bottom of the follower. The insert 63 carries a transverse pawl 54 which is pivotally mounted therein for movement in a transverse, vertical plane on a longitudinal pin 65. The pawl extends laterally through the slot 59, and normally rests by gravity on the serrated edge. It is notched at he e d by cuttin away the front, lower q rant, aS Shown at 66, so that it may catch on the saw teeth and prevent the forward movement of the follower insert.

The pawl 54 is provided to prevent the magazine spring 62 from pushing the cartridges out of the front of the magazine while cartridges are being inserted and while the magazine is being inserted into the weapon from the butt, it being noted that the magazine is of the open mouth type, having no constriction for preventing the free egress of cartridges. When the magazine has been inserted into the stock it is held in place by a closure at the butt, which is provided with a bar (not shown) that extends alongside of the magazine for lifting the pawl 54 from the serrations and free the insert to advance under the force of the magazine spring to feed cartridges into the cylindrical space in the cam 5 3 as shown in Figs. '7 and 8. The cartridges within the magazine are arranged in two staggered rows, with the points substantially in a common line at the narrow wall 56d and the rims alternately to the ht a t near the de wa l 560. unt l they reach the converged mouth. By such a staggered arrangement the bowing effect of the rims is obviated, and a large number of cartridges can be stored in the magazine with the axes of the cartridges within each row of alternate cartridges truly parallel. Further details concerning the mechanism for locking the magazine and the bar that controls the pawl are contained in the aforesaid patent application and will therefore not be further described herein.

With certain firearms it may be desirable to provide means for retaining the cartridge in the cradle when the lifter is in the loading position illustrated. Such an optional arrangement is shown in the drawings, particularly in Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10, which show a pivoted engaging finger 61 having permanently secured thereto a transverse cylindrical pin 68 pivotally secured to barrel projection by means of a small plate S9. The under side of the projection 30 is relieved to accommodate the plate 69, which is secured by a flat head screw 10. The plate E9 and projection 30 each has a hemicylindrical recess to accommodate the pin 68 and permit rotation thereof. The plate 69 is bifurcated to leave a vertical longitudinal slot (see Fig. 10) and a mating slot is provided in the projection 39. The finger Si is free to enter the slots, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9, and the lower, rearwardly facing edge of the finger is curved to act as a cam when engaged by the front upper part of the breech bolt when the latter is advanced. Downward motion of the finger is limited by the extension 6'50. which bears against the receiver, positioning the finger to engage the upper right part of the cartridge as shown in Fig. 2. The finger is urged downwardly by a leaf spring II that is substantially L-shaped and bears against the receiver.

The lower side of the receiver forms an abutment to engage the rear edge of the lifter, bringing it to a stop with the cradle opposite the cam 54 as shown in Fig. 8. The extreme positions of the lifter are spaced approximately 65 of arc in the embodiment illustrated.

Operation With the lifter in the loading position shown in Figs. 1-7, forward movement of the breech bolt compresses the spring 36 until the line of thrust thereof (i. e., the axis of the rod 3?) passes to the front of the axis of the pin 39. The spring then expands, urging the lifter in a counterclockwise direction (as viewed from the left) as shown by the arrow in Fig. 14 into cartridge-receiving position and in engagement with the receiver. The spring 35 urges the lifter to the latter position so long as the bolt remains in fully advanced position. When the breech bolt is retracted, this spring action is maintained and the spring is compressed until the line of thrust passes to the rear of the axis of the pin 39; the spring thereafter expands, urging the lifter in a clockwise direction into loading position, as shown by the arrow in Fig. 15, and holding it in that position so long as the bolt is retracted. It will be noted that this driving mechanism positively drives the reciprocable lifter in both directions of movement, as distinguished from other mechanism wherein the bolt drives the lifter only in one direction whilst using a spring for movement in the other direction. Further, this mechanism maintains the lifter in each of its extreme positions While the bolt is in the corresponding extreme position. All of this is achieved by the use of a single compression spring.

When the breech bolt advances the forward part thereof, at the groove 44, engages the camming surface 43 of the lifter somewhat after the spring 36 begins to rotate the lifter, as shown in Fig. 14. The pressure exerted against the camming surface by the bolt depends upon the inertia of the lifter and the stifiness of the spring 36 and may in some cases be nil. In configuration illustrated the front face 33 of the bolt engages the rim of the cartridge C in the cradle before the lifter is retracted, thereby initiating the move ment of the cartridge into the bore while the cartridge is supported. Near the end of the travel the bolt engages the curved part of the finger 67 and pushes it upwards, permitting the bolt to complete its forward movement unobstructed.

The action of the cam and lifter is as follows: When the lifter is in loading position the right face thereof retains the forward-most cartridge C in the space adjoining the cam 5t. Pressure of the follower spring 62 maintains the cartridges in engagement with the cam. When the lifter is swung into cartridge-receiving position, in en gagement with the stop '52, the forward-most cartridge C is pushed by the next cartridge C" into the cradle of the lifter as shown in Fig. 8. It will be noted that the succeeding cartridge C" is slightly forward (1. e., toward the receiver) of cartridge C, by virtue of the slope of the part Ma, thereby urging the cartridge C downwardly against the cradle; in this position the cartridge 0" also projects slightly beyond the face of the guide plate. This geometrical relation insures that the cartridge C will not become dislodged from the position shown in Fig. 8 although the firearm is moved about. When the lifter subsequently moves into loading position the cartridge C is carried into the receiver. During the first part of this movement the cartridge C is pushed back against the cam surface 54, this movement being transmitted to the other cartridges and causing a very small compression of the follower spring 62. As the movement continues the right side of the cartridge C moves into engagement with the fiat part 53 of the guide plate 35 and is thus supported on its sides by the wall 32 and the plate 35; it is prevented by the retaining plate =1 from being thrown out axially by centrifugal force.

I claim as my invention:

1. A repeating firearm including, in combination: a barrel having a bore; a receiver to the rear thereof; a reciprocable bolt; a reciprocable cartridge lifter movable between a cartridge-receiving position clear of the path of the bolt and a loading position; a cradle on the lifter adapted to receive a live cartridge and to position said cartridge within the receiver in the path of travel of the bolt when the lifter is in loading position; and means for moving the lifter between said positions comprising a resilient driving member operatively connected to the bolt and to the lifter so as to exert a resilient force urging the lifter toward loading position when the bolt is retracted and to exert a resilient force urging the lifter toward cartridge-receiving position when the bolt is advanced.

2. In combination with the firearm according to claim 1, a cam on the lifter positioned to be en gaged by the bolt for moving the lifter toward cartridge-receiving position when the bolt is advanced.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the cam is positioned in relation to the bolt to g be engaged thereby after the resilient driving means exerts a resilient force urging the lifter to cartridge-receiving position.

4. A repeating firearm including, in combination: a barrel having a bore; a receiver to the rear thereof; a reciprocable bolt; a cartridge lifter mounted for rotating reciprocating movement between a cartridge-receiving position clear of the path of the bolt and a loading position about a turning axis disposed substantially transversely to the axis of the barrel; a cradle on the lifter adapted to receive a live cartridge and to position said cartridge within the receiver in the path of travel of the bolt when the lifter is in loading position; and a resilient compression member connected to act'between points on said bolt and said lifter on opposite sides of said turning axis along a line of action that is forwardly of said turning axis when the bolt is advanced and rearwardly of said turning axis when the bolt is retracted, whereby the compression member urges the lifter to rotate toward loading position when the bolt is retracted and to cartridge-receiving position when the bolt is advanced.

5. The firearm according to claim 4 wherein the litter is rotatable about a horizontal turning axis located below the axis of the bore, the lifter being movable to carry said cradle in the vertical plane of the bore and the said compression member is a spring having an abutment on the bolt at a point above said turning axis and an abutment on the lifter below said turning axis.

6. The firearm according to claim 4 wherein the compression member is a coiled spring having a spring guide pivotally secured to the bolt and slidably and pivotally secured to the lifter.

'7. A repeating firearm including, in combination: a barrel having a bore; a receiver to the rear thereof; a reciprocable bolt; a cartridge lifter mounted for turning reciprocating movement between a cartridge-receiving position clear of the path of the bolt and a loading position about a turning axis disposed substantially transversely to the axis of the barrel and having a lateral opening; a cradle on the lifter extending generally radially with respect to said turning axis and offset from said axis, said cradle being open at the end away from said axis and adapted to receive a live cartridge through said lateral opening and to position said cartridge within the receiver in the path of travel of the bolt when the lifter is in loading position; means for feeding live cartridges singly into said cradle through said lateral opening when the lifter is in cartridge-receiving position; means for moving said lifter reciprocably about said axis; and an arcuate retaining wall located immediately radially outwardly from the open end of the cradle, said wall having a part thereof opposite said open end of the cradle when the latter is in cartridge-receiving position and terminating short of the said path of travel of the bolt for preventing a cartridge in the cradle from being displaced axially therefrom by centrifugal force during movement of the lifter.

8. A repeating firearm including, in combination: a barrel having a bore; a receiver to the rear thereof; a reciprocable bolt; a cartridge lifter mounted for turning reciprocating movement between a cartridge-receiving position clear of the path of the bolt and a loading position about a turning axis disposed substantially transversely to the axis of the barrel; a cradle on the lifter oirset from said turning axis and having a cartridgesupporting abutment disposed for swinging a cartrid'ge thereon with a circumferential motion into the receiver and into the path of the bolt when the lifter is rotated to loading position, said cradle having further cartridge-retaining abutment on one side thereof for preventing lateral displacement of said cartridge toward the said side, the cradle being open at the other side; and a stationary guide plate on the said other side of the lifter having a cartridge-retaining surface for preventinglateral displacement or said cartridge toward said other side during said circumferential motion.

9; The repeating firearm according to claim 8 wherein the said cartridge-retaining surface of the guide plate extends throughout an area that is essentially the sector of a plane annulus having first and second termini that are substantially radial with respect to 'said turning axis, the first or" said termini being displaced from the position assumed by said cartridge-supporting abutment when the lifter is in cartridge-receiving position by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the cartridge and the second of said termini being clear or said path of the bolt.

16. In combination with the firearm according to claim 9, a concave cartridge-feeding cam having a surface extending from a line offset from the lifter in the direction of the open side of the cradle by a distance at least as great as the diameter of a cartridge and terminating at the said second terminus of the cartridge-retaining surface.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wh rein the said surface or" the cam at the said second terminus is inclined toward the cartridgesupporting abutment of the cradle, whereby a cartridge pushed from said surface into the cradle by the force of a succeeding cartridge will be urged against said cartridge-supporting abutment.

12. A repeating firearm including, in combination: a barrel having a bore; a receiver to the rear thereof; a reciprocable bolt; a cartridge lifter mounted for rotating reciprocating movement between a cartridge-receiving position clear of the path of the bolt and a loading position about a turning axis spaced rearwardly from the barrel and disposed substantially transversely to the axis 01" the barrel and offset therefrom; a cradle on the lifter having a cartridge-supporting abutment adapted to receive a live cartridge from a feed side with the axis or" the cartridge substantially radial to said turning axis with the point away from said axis when the lifter is in cartridge-receiving position and to swing said cartridge into the receiver and into the path of the bolt when the litter is rotated to loading position; a cartridge-retaining abutment on the lifter on the side of the cradle away from said feed side for preventing lateral displacement of said cartridge, the cradle being open toward said feed side and toward the radially outer end thereof; means preventing axial displacement of the car tridge in the cradle toward the point during movement of the lifter; a stationary guide plate on said feed side of the lifter having a cartridgeretaining surface substantially perpendicular to said turning axis and located near the lifter to engage said cartridge in the cradle and prevent lateral displacement thereof toward said feed side during movement of the lifter, said cartridge-retaining surface extending from a starting line that is substantially parallel to the position assumed by the cartridge-supporting abutment of the cradle when the lifter is in cartridge-receiving position and displaced from said position to permit passage of a live cartridge laterally into the cradle, said cartridge-retaining surface terminating short of the path of travel of the bolt; a stationary cartridge feeding cam having a concave cylindrical surface with a radius of curvature greater than the diameter of a cartridge beginning substantially parallel to the cartridge-retaining surface and offset therefrom toward said feed side and terminating at said starting line of the cartridge-retaining surface, said concave surface and the adjacent side of the lifter defining between them a cartridge-receiving pocket; means for feeding live cartridges side by side with resilient force into said cartridge-receiving pocket; and a resilient compression member having abutments on said bolt at a point above said turning axis and on the lifter at a point below said turning axis, said points being located so that the line of thrust of the said member acting between them is forward of the turning axis when the bolt is advanced and rearward of the turning axis when the bolt is retracted, whereby the lifter is urged resiliently to loading position when the bolt is retracted and is urged resiliently to cartridge-receiving position when the bolt is advanced.

13. The repeating firearm according to claim 12 wherein the said cartridge-retaining abutment has a cam surface inclined rearwardly and downwardly and positioned to be engaged by the bolt for rotating the lifter from leading position during forward movement of the bolt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 522,886 Dyball July 10, 1894 601,708 Dinsmore Apr. 5, 1898 2,143,331 Schultz Jan. 10, 1939 2,356,491 Loomis Aug. 22, 1944 2,422,301 Horan June 1'7, 194'? 2,552,429 Humeston May 8, 1951 2,624,241 Hill Jan. 6, 1953 

